Rec center approved for bond program

By Vikki Martin

The Dallas City Council voted this past week to place the $1.25 billion bond program on the May 4 ballot. The bond program includes nearly $345 million in the parks and trails proposition. This package includes the White Rock Hills Recreation Center that the Ferguson Road Initiative (FRI) has been advocating for more than a 28-year period. The center will be the only new recreation center on the bond.

FRI efforts will now be focused on ensuring the bond is passed by Dallas voters in May. FRI hopes the center will be in the first tranche of bond funding, and that they have the right partners in place who can provide services and programming that are multi-cultural and intergenerational, because the community needs children, families and seniors to thrive.

FRI would like to acknowledge Dallas City Council members Adam Bazaldua (D7), Paula Blackmon (D9) and Jesse Moreno (D2) for providing the political will and leadership in getting the center included. 

FRI is also indebted for the support it received from the Dallas Park Board. FRI would like to recognize the leadership of the Bond Subcommittee for Parks and Trails, especially the support of Garrett Boone, the city’s “Green Czar.” 

FRI thanks Mayor Eric Johnson for supporting the need for the recreation center, and political officials who offered letters of support to the city council. 

But most of all, FRI wants to thank the 1,500 people from the community who wrote letters, emails and signed petitions of support in favor of the recreation center, and to the FRI staff and the core group of individuals who never took their eye off the ball. Finally, a thank you to all of the FRI Founder’s Circle donors and members who support this transformative community-building work.

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